As of May 1, 2021, over half of all drug tests reported on the Clearinghouse included marijuana.
The DOT tests for marijuana, not CBD. There is a misconception of the impact of CBD products for employees working in a safety-sensitive capacity that warrants a reminder of considerations when using CBD products. For instance, the content of many CBD products may be misleading as they could contain higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than what the label claims. You can read more information on this topic in our previous News to Note: DOT Compliance Notice Regarding Cannabidiol (CBD) Products and Drug Testing.
As a best practice, employers should make their safety-sensitive employees aware that using CBD products could lead to a positive drug test result. CBD use is not a legitimate medical explanation for a laboratory-confirmed marijuana-positive drug test result. Positive drug screens must be reported on the FMCSA Clearinghouse by the Medical Review Officer (MRO) as a violation of US DOT policy. The MRO reports these results that include the CDL number of the driver who incurred the violation.
For more information and to read the full article by the DOT on the use of CBD products: DOT Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance Notice.
Posted: May 28, 2021